Overview
What parsley needs, when to pick it, and whether it suits your space.
Parsley is slow to start: its seed can take up to six weeks to come up. After that it gives leaves from late spring into autumn, and into winter under cover, in sun or part shade, in the ground or a pot. Cut whole stems from the outside of the plant and it keeps sending up more.
Quick facts
- Botanical name
- Petroselinum crispum
- Feeding
- Moderate feeder
- Hardiness
- Any zone, as an annual
- Height
- Up to 60 cm (24 in)
- Propagation
- Seed
Growing details
- Germination
- 42 days
- Spacing
- 20 cm (8 in)
- Sowing depth
- 10 mm (⅜ in)
- Frost sensitivity
- Frost hardy
Growing calendar
- Start indoors: February, March, April
- Sow outdoors: April, May, June, July, August
- Harvest: May, June, July, August, September, October, November
Modules from early spring for an earlier crop (RHS). Mid-spring to late summer, a batch every few weeks. Late spring to autumn; into winter under cover.
Is this plant right for you?
- Sun or part shade
- Good in pots
- Frost hardy
- Slow to germinate
- Cut and come again
- Biennial
- Toxic to pets
Toxic to pets
Toxic to dogs, cats and horses in large amounts: sun sensitivity and dermatitis (ASPCA).
Before You Grow
Choose flat-leaf for flavour or curly for looks, and a spot with moist, fertile soil.
Parsley is toxic to dogs, cats and horses in large amounts (ASPCA).
What you need
Seed or young plants
Flat-leaf or curly. See choose your parsley.
Fertile, moist soil
Or peat-free compost in a pot. See soil.
Patience
Seed can take six weeks to come up. See sowing.
A watering can
Parsley needs plenty of water. See watering.
Slug protection
For seedlings. See pests.
A cloche or pot for winter
To keep picking into winter. See winter indoors.
Choose your parsley
There are two main types, and both are Petroselinum crispum.
Flat-leaf (Italian or French) parsley has a stronger flavour and grows taller. ‘Titan’ is an RHS AGM variety with small, deep-green leaves; ‘Gigante Napoletano’ has large, very aromatic leaves; ‘Argon’ is an upright improved type (Illinois).
Curly (moss-curled) parsley is more decorative, milder and shorter, making good edging: ‘Moss Curled’, ‘Bravour’ and ‘Envy’ are RHS AGM varieties.
Supermarket pots hold lots of overcrowded seedlings for short-term use indoors. The RHS advises against planting them outside, because of the risk of bringing in disease; Gardeners’ World divides them and pots up the sections.
Parsley varieties compared
-
‘Titan’
- Type
- Flat-leaf
- Notes
- Small, deep-green leaves; strong, sweet flavour (RHS AGM)
-
‘Gigante Napoletano’
- Type
- Flat-leaf
- Notes
- Large, very aromatic leaves
-
‘Moss Curled’
- Type
- Curly
- Notes
- Tight rosettes on short stems (RHS AGM)
-
‘Bravour’
- Type
- Curly
- Notes
- Classic parsley flavour (RHS AGM)
-
‘Envy’
- Type
- Curly
- Notes
- Dense, dark, ornamental curls (RHS AGM)
From the RHS and Gardeners’ World. For cooking, a flat-leaf variety; for edging and garnish, a curly one.
Where parsley grows best
Parsley grows well in full sun or partial shade (RHS, Gardeners’ World).
Cool is better. It grows better where summers are cool and can wilt in hot, humid summers (NC State). In hot areas, give it some shade.
Cold. A hardy biennial: it takes frost, dying down over winter in the ground, and can be kept producing under cover.
Moisture. It needs consistently moist soil that still drains (NC State).
Life cycle. It grows leaves in its first year, then flowers, sets seed and dies in its second. It is usually grown as an annual and resown each year (RHS).
- Light
- Full sun or partial shade
- Germination
- Up to 6 weeks
- Height
- 30 to 60 cm (12 to 24 in)
Soil
Parsley likes fertile, moisture-retentive soil that drains freely (RHS, NC State).
Preparation. Weed thoroughly and fork over to break up lumps. On poor or very free-draining soil, mix in well-rotted organic matter (RHS).
In pots, use peat-free multi-purpose compost.
Planting
Sow direct from mid-spring, or in modules for an early start; don’t give up on slow seed.
Seed can take up to six weeks to germinate. Keep the soil moist and don’t give up on it.
When to sow parsley
Outdoors, sow from mid-spring to late summer, where it is to grow (RHS). Direct sowing avoids disturbing the roots.
Indoors, sow in modules from early spring for an earlier crop, and plant out at 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in) tall.
Little and often. Sow small batches every few weeks for leaves through summer into autumn (RHS, Gardeners’ World).
Young plants go out after the last spring frost (NC State).
- Outdoors mid-spring to late summer.
- Indoors from early spring.
- A batch every few weeks.
How to sow parsley
Parsley seed is slow: often a month or more (RHS), up to six weeks (Gardeners’ World).
-
Soak the seed
Overnight in water, to help it along (Illinois).
-
Make a shallow drill
About 1 cm (⅜ in) deep, rows 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12 in) apart. Water along the base first (RHS).
-
Sow thinly and cover
Cover with soil and water gently. In pots, scatter thinly and cover with 1 cm (⅜ in) of compost.
-
Mark the row
Illinois sows a few quick radish seeds with the parsley to show where the row is while you wait.
-
Keep it moist
Don’t let the soil or compost dry out while seed germinates.
-
Thin
To 15 to 30 cm (6 to 12 in) apart, depending on the variety; eat the thinnings (RHS).
Planting parsley
For module-raised or bought plants.
-
Harden off
Indoor-raised plants, before planting out after the last frost.
-
Plant at the same depth
In sun or partial shade, disturbing the roots as little as possible.
-
Space them
15 to 30 cm (6 to 12 in) apart (RHS); NC State allows 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12 in).
-
Firm in and water
Then protect from slugs.
Care
Water in dry spells, pick often, and keep a plant going through winter under cover.
Snip off yellowing lower leaves to keep plants healthy and producing.
Care through the year
Waiting for seedlings
Protect: slugs
Keep the soil moist for up to six weeks. See sowing.
Summer
Tidy: yellow lower leaves
Water in dry spells; pick often. See watering.
Autumn
Resow: late summer batch
Cover with a cloche, or pot a plant for indoors. See winter indoors.
Winter
Protect: cloche or cold frame
Plants in the ground die down; covered ones keep going.
Second spring
Deadhead: to delay seeding
Old plants run to flower. Replace, or leave one for seed. See saving seed.
Watering parsley
Parsley needs plenty of water, especially in dry weather (Gardeners’ World), and likes consistently moist soil (NC State).
Young plants. Water to help them establish.
In the ground. Water during hot, dry spells in summer (RHS).
In pots. Compost dries quickly in warm weather: check it often and keep it evenly moist.
Feeding parsley
In fertile soil, parsley in the ground shouldn’t need feeding (RHS).
In pots, an organic-based balanced liquid feed every few weeks through the growing season (RHS), or an occasional seaweed feed (Gardeners’ World), boosts leafy growth.
Parsley in containers
Parsley grows well in pots, window boxes and troughs, in a pot at least 25 cm (10 in) wide and deep (RHS).
Sowing. Sow direct into the pot, to avoid disturbing the roots, and thin to the strongest plants.
Care. Water often and feed every few weeks. Several pots let you pick from one while another regrows (Gardeners’ World).
Keeping parsley through winter
Outdoor parsley dies down over winter, but you can keep it producing.
Under cover. Cover plants in the ground with a cloche, or grow them in a greenhouse or cold frame. With enough light and warmth they keep making leaves (RHS, Gardeners’ World).
Indoors. Dig and pot plants in autumn and grow them in high light and a cool spot (Illinois), or keep a pot on a sunny kitchen windowsill.
Spring. Discard indoor plants and start fresh ones for the garden (Illinois).
Problems
Slow germination, carrot fly and slugs are the usual troubles.
Common parsley problems
Slow seed, pests and wet soil cause most problems.
Seed didn’t come up
- Slow germination
It can take up to six weeks. Keep the soil moist, soak seed before sowing, and wait before resowing.
Flowering and coarse leaves
- Second year
A second-year plant. Deadhead to delay it, but sow fresh plants each year.
Wilting in summer heat
- Heat
- Dry soil
Parsley prefers cooler conditions. Water, and give it afternoon shade.
Yellow lower leaves
- Age
Older leaves fade naturally. Snip them off to encourage new growth (RHS).
Supermarket pot collapsing
- Overcrowding
Too many seedlings in one pot. Divide into small clumps and repot, or use it up.
More problems with parsley
Common pests
Slugs and snails
Eat seedlings. Protect young plants, especially in damp weather (Gardeners’ World).
Carrot fly
Parsley is in the carrot family, so the same fly attacks its roots. Take the same precautions as for carrots; Gardeners’ World suggests companion planting with garlic or onions.
Other insects
Carrot weevil, flea beetles, leafhoppers and plant bugs occasionally (NC State).
Common diseases
Harvest & Use
Cut outer stems at the base, from late spring through autumn.
Harvesting parsley
When. From late spring through autumn, once plants are about 20 cm (8 in) tall (NC State, RHS, Illinois).
How. Take a few leafy stems from the outside of the plant, cutting them near the base with scissors (RHS). Cutting whole stems rather than just top leaves makes a bushier plant that regrows (Gardeners’ World).
Pick often. Regular picking encourages more leaves.
Flowers are edible too (NC State).
- Outer stems first.
- Cut near the base.
- Pick often.
Storing and using parsley
Fresh is best: dried parsley has less flavour (Gardeners’ World).
Fridge. Wash, drip dry, and keep in a plastic bag in the fridge (Illinois).
Freezing. Chop finely and freeze: better than drying for flavour (Gardeners’ World, Illinois).
Using it. Soups, stews, sauces, pesto, salsas, omelettes and tabbouleh; the stems are full of flavour too.
Propagation
Letting a second-year plant flower and set seed.
Saving parsley seed
Parsley flowers in its second summer, with flat umbels of greenish-yellow flowers that attract butterflies (NC State), then sets seed and dies.
Let one flower. Leave a healthy plant to bloom, and wait until the seed turns brown before collecting it (Gardeners’ World).
Collect. Wait until the seed turns brown, then collect it.
Caution. The seed is poisonous to birds (NC State).
More to Explore
Quick answers, related guides, and the sources behind this one.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my parsley seed taking so long to germinate?
Parsley is naturally slow, up to six weeks. Soak it overnight and keep the soil moist.
Is flat-leaf or curly parsley better?
Flat-leaf has more flavour; curly is more decorative. See choose your parsley.
Does parsley come back every year?
It can grow again for a second spring, but it is a biennial: it flowers, sets seed and dies in its second year. Sow fresh each year for the best leaves.
How do I harvest parsley so it keeps growing?
Cut outer stems near the base. See harvesting.
Can parsley grow in shade?
Yes, partial shade suits it, especially in hot summers.
Can I keep parsley over winter?
Yes, under a cloche or indoors on a bright, cool windowsill. See winter.
Can I grow parsley in a pot?
Yes: sow it direct into the pot and water often.
Is parsley safe for pets?
The ASPCA lists it as toxic to dogs, cats and horses, but only in large amounts.
Related guides
Sources
- How to grow parsley (opens in a new tab) Royal Horticultural Society
- Parsley (opens in a new tab) ASPCA Animal Poison Control
- Parsley (opens in a new tab) University of Illinois Extension
- Parsley (opens in a new tab) University of Maryland Extension
- Petroselinum crispum (opens in a new tab) NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- How to grow parsley (opens in a new tab) BBC Gardeners’ World